The Phear Collection
by TwistTheGreat
Summary: Two years after Shadows death, Rouge opens up A shop, selling strange artifacts. Although she can never have a normal life, not while the doll chest is haunting her. A collection of short horrors.Chapter 6 up!
1. Never Without Your Face

Rouge is not mine. Everything else, however, is.

The Phear Collection

I heard the tauntingly familiar sound of the door slowly creeking open. I stretched a little and let my scrape against the wall. "Hello there, My name is Rouge. May I ask what interests you in the Phear Collection?"

They always answer the same. Either a little brat trying to act goth, a collector with an eye for mystery, or somone who would just like to hear a story.

"May I show you around?" I asked politely. That was one thing I was always proud of. I may not like the person, but I'm always kind and polite. They walked over to a dark chest in the corner of the room. The doll chest.

"Excuse me! I'm sorry but neither the chest nor whats in it is for sale. Whats ib it? Um…N-nothing. Nothing important. You look like the kind who would enjoy something like this." I walked over to a roughly drawn painting with slashes and scratches all over it.

"This? This is a very unique piece.True, the painting itself isn't worth much, but the story, that's worth a hundred night mares. Why is all the paint red? Well, for that story we must travel back to when my grandmother was a child.

--Never without your face—

Their was once a rich man. Now why would you think he was old? He was quite young, actually. Just a little older than myself. He didn't have any friends, and he didn't have any family. True, he had his dog, but is that really friendship? So, one day he decided to get a maid. He didn't need one, he just wanted the company. Many appailed, but only two caught his eye. A young cat girl named Rosette, and a her Sister, Juliet.

Rosette and the man instantly fell in love. Juliet was happier than ever over this. They had nobody in their lives, they were poor, and this was like winning the lottery. Every day, the three would spend hours talking. The thing that interested Rosette the most was his incredible painting skills. He would spend almost the entire day, simply painting a simple thing. After two weeks, the man got engaged to Rosette. As soon as she said yes, he rushed out the room, and begun his masterpiece. Juliet could not persuade him to eat, Rosette could not persuade him to eat, his dog could only watch.

After one full month of toil, it was complete. A painting of his beloveds face. Nobody could begin to count the hours he had put into that, but he didn't care. It was worth it to see the smile on his fiance's face. He had not seen her for weeks, so he could not wait to show her her wedding gift.

"Rosette! Rosette!" He screamed. Yet he heard no reply.

"Juliet! Juliet where are you? Have you seen Rossete?" He looked until the night, until he heard cries from the attic. He rushed up as fast as she could. There, he saw Juliets crying over the body of his beloved, crushed under a wardrobe. He could not speak. He went over to his loved face. It was ruined. Cuts, scatches everywhere. He could do nothing. He turned to juliet.

"H-how did this happen?" He began.

"She was cleaning!" Juliet screamed. "The wardrobe fell- When I found her she told me she was calling for you for hours!"

"How could I hear her…" then he realised. The painting. The one he had spent hours on. It distracted him from everything. He could not eat, he could not sleep, he could not hear.

Years later, they found his body, lying over the painting. He was drained of blood. His blood was all over the paint brush. But before him, lay a beautiful painting of his beloveds face, torn to pieces by his anger. Why had he done this? A bizarre form of suicide? Redemption? Hatred? Or could he simply not stand to see his beloveds eyes. Always staring at him. Mocking him. Was he too filled with remourse?

"So, you see why this is worth so much? You want it? Well, the only adice I can give you is not to stare directly at it's eyes. They say they were his final strokes,"

I accepted the money with delight. The person left with a picture worth a thousand words and a story worth two lives.

The end! More soon!


	2. To Avoid the Light

----------

A customer came in just at the wrong time today. I was checking the doll chest. You can never be too careful. I slammed the chest as soon as I heard the door open. I yelled at myself in my head. Why didn't I lock the door? The customer asked about the chest. "I-I'm sorry, this rusty old thing isn't for sale."

They wanted it. They loved the mix of black and red paint, and commented on the strange pattern on it. I ran my hand along it smoothly. "I'm sorry, my… Grandmother gave me this." I was always good at lying. But only if I had time to practice.

"Nothings in it!" They gave a comeback about if it isn't bizarre then it wouldn't be in this shop. "I'm awfully sorry…But my…Urm… My room is just upstairs and I didn't have enough room." I bit my lip. If they didn't buy this they'd want to look…

The customer simply turned and sighed. "Oh! If you're looking for something along the lines of strange chests than I've got the perfect thing for you!" I ran to one of the closets and pulled open the heavy wooden door. Shelves of chests stuffed with god knows what. I reached up high and pulled out a small rusted silver one, blowing the dust off, I handed it to the annoyed customer.

"Now, this is only big enough for say, a few books, but it's story is a fine one."

- To avoid the light-

They say that in the days of knights and kings, there was a simple peasant who had been called a slave his entire life. So much so, that he forgot his name. One day, this peasant was asked to look after a knights horse. He took care of the horse, but couldn't help but wonder what was in the bag around the horses neck. His morals and fear told him that it was bad to tick-off a knight, but his greed only took a few days to take control.

There he found this very chest. He pondered how a horse was even able to carry something this heavy, but that did not occupy his mind for long, for this nameless peasant wanted whatever untold riches where inside. He opened it, only to see a list of names scratched onto the top of one of the chests corners down to the middle of the chest. The last name there was the name of the knight.

The peasant closed the chest in anger and walked back into the night. Something called him to go back there. To gaze into the chest again. Temptation took hold. He hurried back to the chest and opened it in a second. But the names where gone. And after a while, so was the horse. And the stable. In a splitsecond the peasant was floating in darkness. After a few mores seconds the peasant was somewhere warm. A bed.

The peasant must be insane. He ran towards a window and looked uponthe land. It was his home. He was in the castle. But how could this be? A mere minute ago he was kneeling down besides a chest, gazing upon a list of names. He was happier than he had ever been.

But then everything changed. The glory was replaced by fire. Fire everywhere. And yet, it did not burn. He heard a voice. A scarred, harsh, echoing voice.

"Surrender your life to return."

The peasant was gasping for air. He didn't give a second thought. He nodded and heard laughter. Then he was back in the stable, staring into the chest. According to him, whenever he stared into the chest he would be there again. His heaven. Where he had a name. Where he was happy. Where he was something besides a puppet. According to passers by he stared into the chest untill the day he died. He did not hear, nor feel, the outside world. He just had his little piece of paradise. They couldn't remove his corpse from the chest for another three weeks. When they looked in the chest they saw, scratched on the bottom of the list a name. That name was-

"Sorry! That's where the story ends. If you want to know his name you'll have to buy it and see for yourself. Don't look a second time though. Me? No, I've never looked in it once. I'd like to keep my soul thank you very much. Of course, they could just be stories. I'm using thousand year old word, here. You'll take it? Thanks!"

I once again accepted the beautiful pay. The customer left, I drew down the blinds, locked the door and walked towards the doll chest.

"Sorry to keep you waiting…" I opened the chest. "…My Beloved…"

----------


	3. Wrapped in Black

The first thing I remember about this morning… A headache. I know just what caused it. That freakish thing. I was spending to much time with it. I looked over at the clock. 8.30. I should of opened an hour ago. I rushed downstairs to find somone already there. Holding what looked like a necklace in his hands.

"You're playing with fire Rouge. How long until you get burned?"

"Are you ganna buy something Knuckles?" I stared the Echidna in the eye.

"You gave up working for the president for this?" He broke my gaze by looking at the ground.

"I repeat, are you ganna buy something?"

"No… I'm here to TAKE something."

I didn't say anything. I ran over to the doll chest.

"Rouge, Give me that."

I grabbed the top of the chest.

"You aren't really thinking about opening it, are you?"

"It won't kill me." We stood there, facing each other for a minute. "How'd you get in?"

"I know how to pick locks-"

"No you don't. How'd you get in." My grip tightened.

"… Tails got me in…"

"You brain washed him into beleaving you're helping everyone by controling this?"

"I can help…"

"No. You won't help anyone."

"….Fine… So, I guess I'll have to buy something."

"I'm not selling to you."

"C'mon. For old times sake."

"…Fine…"

"So… What's the story behind this necklace?" He held up the brilliant gold necklace.

"If you must know…"

---Wrapped in Black---

There was once a blacksmith known a throughout the whole country. People would come from around the world just to look at what he made. He was old, and losing his touch. He had to do something to save his career, or he would surely starve. He was out walking through his garden, legend has it he saw the most amazing thing. A lump of coal- growing in a rose bush. He was amazed by this, he instantly brought it into his home and began his work. He polished the stone for hours, trying to increase it's already enormous value.

It was coal, no matter what the blacksmith did. He decided to call it a day, and went to sleep. God knows what happened during the night, it is said that when he awoke, the coal had turned into the most beautiful gold. Still intent on raising the miracles worth, he began to work. He made the gold into the necklace you now hold. When he was finished, he declared an auction. The highest bidder would keep this amazing necklace.

The day of the auction, a mysterious stranger in a black cloak approached the man. She had something elegant in the way she moved.

"You shouldn't do this." Was all she said.

The man argued with the stranger, but the stranger gave no reply. The man told her if she wanted it so badly she would have to buy it.

The auction came, and there where hundreds there. Including the stranger wrapped in a black cloak. The bidding started. It lasted hours, each person there intent on owning the rare artifact. At the end, a Lord had bought the necklace for 10,000 English pounds. Right before the blacksmith was about hand the necklace to the Lord, the woman in black stepped in. "50,000 pounds." She began. "And my soul."

The blacksmith was more than happy to agree to these terms, but the Lord wasn't. The necklace had already been sold. The Lord left the town, admiring the priceless necklace he had bought. On he way out, the woman in black ran in front of his horse.

"You must not keep that!" She pleaded.

"And why not?"

"There is a legend that gold grown from a rose bush is an item of God-"

"Then I shall consider myself very lucky."

"You can not buy it! My soul! Take it!"

The lord stared at her. He was a very religious man, so he agreed. "50,000 and your soul."

"Done!" The woman handed him the money, and bowed.

The Lord had heard tales of people giving up souls, but never of receiving one. The woman collapsed on the ground, the necklace tight in her hands. "It…Is clean now…" She handed the necklace back to the man. The Lord was confused, but took her money, her soul, and the necklace.

"Insane fool" He muttered to himself as his armor was replaced by a black cloak, his skin began to crumble and his skelliton dissapeared. There was no scream. The woman appeared in the mans place, wearing the cloak that only seconds ago was on the Lord.

"It is God's bidding." She said to herself, slowly walking away.

"So take it or leave it." I said, sitting on the chest.

"Are you sure it's safe? After that story…"

"Knucklehead…"

"I don't have 50,000 pounds."

"Well, since it's pounds, not rings, and it was 1000 something years ago, 12,00 rings."

"That's a good deal…. I'll give you 10,000."

"12,000"

"10,99"

"12,00"

"12,00"

"13,00"

"I hate you."

"I know."

"12,50"

"Done!" I always's disliked Knuckles. But, he had money. I waved goodbye as he left, slowly turning around to face the chest.

"….Sorry to keep you waiting…."


	4. All I have are memories

I had to dispose of it, however hard it may be. After Knuckles left, I shut the store. I slowly picked up the chest, feeling tempted to open, give it one last goodbye, but I knew if I did that it would win. If I did that I wouldn't throw it away, it would through me away. I took in one last breth of it, then left. I walked down the busy street, but to me it couldn't be more empty. But, oh, there were shadows. Telling me to turn back, screaming at me to let go. I was going to dispose of this evil myself, no matter what my demons had to say about it. I found an empty dock, and stared into my own misty reflection. I was going to do this. I was strong enough. I ran my hand along the oak. I took a sigh. Goodbye to the doll chest, goodbye to the past, it would finally be over, I would finally be rid of the hate. I knelt down on the damp wood, and placed my hands on the chest.

"Stop!"

Where did that come from? I quickly turned. Nobody. Anywhere. Untill I looked up, Knuckles was hanging from a helecopter ladder, whipping his hair into his face. "Think of the power!"

"Knuckles, you are an idiot." I hated him now. "You preach to me about giving up what I love, then you join GUN?"

"T-This isn't about what I want!" There was remourse in his eyes.

"Knuckles… Don't be a lunatic…"

"Think of what we can do with it!"

"You'll get us all killed!" Despite the whirring blades of the helicopter, we could hear each other perfectly. "You can't control it… It's like trying to catch smoke with your hands…."

"Don't make me kill you!" Knuckles gritted his teeth.

I laughed out loud. "Go ahead Knuckles, kill me!" I spun around and faced Knuckles. I put my left foot on the chest. "If you don't kill me in the next ten seconds I'm dumping it!"

Knuckles jumped down. "Rouge, don't you dare."

"One… Two… Three…" I smiled. I knew he didn't have the guts.

"I swear to god Rouge!"

"Four… FIVE!" I pushed the chest into the murky darkness below me, never to see that horrible life ruining thing again.

Knuckles clenched his fist in anger for a few seconds, then began to laugh. "You really think GUN won't be able to find it?"

"No. It won't let you. It doesn't want YOU to find it." I smiled again and walked up to Knuckles, who was only slightly taller than me.You lose Red."

Knuckles raised his fist to punch me,I quickly moved out the way. "Knuckles… You've gotten slow… Are you using guns now?"

Knuckles ignored that last comment and stared into the water. "Why would you give up so much power?"

"Because… It's too dangerous… Don't tell me you don't care about the innocent anymore…" I walked away,proud of myself. I smiled once more. It was all finally over. I could return to my abnormal life. Nothin was going to stop me from doing what I loved most. Selling cheap artifacts for unbelievable prices. I opened the door, and as soon as I sat down, a customer walked in. A familier face.

"Ah it's you! You bought the red painting! You didn't look at it too long did you? No? Good! So what can I do for you? Hm? Well, good to know. I have just the thing for you!" Rouge happily walked over to a huge closet, and pulled out a rather nice looking ring. "This belonged to Juliet. Of course you remember her… Sadly, she met her end because of this ring."

All I Have are memorys –

After the um…. Incedent, Juliet was left heartbroken and confused, she accepted the first job she was givin, cleaning a rich mans house. History repeats itself, no? Juliet only brought one thing with her, a beautiful looking ring. It was hers sisters, and the only thing she had left. And so, she cleaned the mans house for a few weeks, when she noticed a large room in the man's house she hadn't been asked to clean yet, it was on the top floor of the mans house, and, to be honest hard to find. She entered the room, expecting the worst. It was just a room. With the largest fireplace she had ever seen in her life. It could fit an entire person inside it. She cleaned the room, the whole time admiring the beautifull fireplace in front of her. After she had finished, she walked down the stairs, the man she was working for sitting in his living room.

"Where have you been?" He said, obviously angry about something.

"I was just cleaning the room with the firepla-"

The man jumped up and screamed at her. He told her that if she ever went in there again, he would fire her and make sure she would never work again. She did as she was told.

At least, for a month or so. She walked past the room, and tripped, her ring slid out her pocket and rolled into the room she was now scared of. She decided that her employer would not notice if she went in their once more, so she opened the door just in time to see the ring fall in the fireplace. She swore to herself and walked towards the fireplace, in it a large pile of ash. But as she looked through the burnt wood, she saw something. Something that terrified her. A piece of clothing. Maids clothing.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to kill you, too." And with that, Juliet was pushed into the fireplace she had once admired. The man pushed her in deep, under a pile of ash and strangled her to death. As you may of guessed, there was no body by the end of the night. Some saw the ring was drawn to the fireplace, others say it was just a coincedence. I know what happened. The ring was possesed by the last maid of that house!

Of course, the customer wanted it. They now had the murder weapons of both the sisters. They left happily, even though there was nothing nice about what they just bought. I decided it was time to clean out the back room, I opened the old worn out door and entered the room, only to see… It… It got out the chest… It followed me home…

_You can't get rid of me, Rouge._

Next chapter meet the insides of the chest!


	5. Monster in the House of Mirrors

I stared into the black corner of the room where "it" seemed to be hiding. It was going to kill me. I was freaking scared. For the first time in years, I was panicking. I had never been up against something like this. I don't think anyone has… Except Shadow… That thing killed Shadow… I'm pretty sure Shadow was tougher than me. How was I going to get out of this?

_Calm down, Rouge…_

It… It didn't speak. It didn't have a voice. It was more like an echo in the back of my mind… Not quite a whisper, but more than a mumble. It was eerie. "How- how did you get out of the chest?"

_Foolish child… Don't you remember?_

Then it hit me. I was weak. Before I took the chest to the dock, I took it out… I was a coward… Or was I? "You possesed me… But how? How did you even survive out the doll chest?"

_I fed._

… He… All those hours I spent with it… It was draining my life… It was feeding off… Me? That's how it got the energy to possess me. That's how it survived so long outside the chest… A red flash, followed by a soft red glow. That was the ruby… It was hungry again… "Are you going to… Take me? My soul… Are you going to kill me?"

_No… I've gotten everything I needed from you…_

"W-what are you going to do?"

_Ruin. I'm going to drive countless lives to insanity. And live off the havoc. Just like I did to Shadow…_

I saw it briefly move an arm out the shadows. Stitches. All over it.

Killing isn't it's style. Although it is insanely strong, it prefers to tempt others. Giving them voices. Playing games. Making others do his killing for him, never even knowing they're doing his bidding. He was a puppet master… "I… Can't stop you…"

_No. You can't. Don't feel bad. Nobody can stop me._

That thing drove Shadow to suicide. What have I done. I unleashed it… I unleashed… The Tails Doll…

Yes… A Tails Doll… What could be so scary about a little doll? Metal Sonic was dangerous, so was Cyber Knuckles. But this thing… Let me tell you a story about this… Monster…

--Monster in the house of mirrors--

Kate was only eleven years old, and loved plushies. She had everything from Aarvark to… Whatever. One day, a carnival had come to town. She instantly tackled her mother for money. That night, she went out happily to the carnival. After she had been on a few rides, she saw a little stand, selling stuffed animals. She had most of them, and the ones she wanted stank. Untill one caught her eye, an orange two tailed fox doll. She was amazed by it, it looked scruffy and poorly made, but it had the most amazing gem on it's forehead. She ran up to the stand owner. "How much for the Kitsune?" She asked. The Carny said it wasn't for sale. At that very moment, the stand owners son came up, and stared at the doll.

"C-can you feel the sunshine?" The child stuttered.

"Pardon?" Kate raised an eyebrow.

"Does it… Brighten up your day?" The child stopped looking at the doll and turned to face Kate. He had black messy hair, and looked like he hadn't slept in days. The Carny looked down. He explained his son hadn't been the same since he bought the doll, and refused to sell it. Something about curses. Kate didn't even pay attention. The carny turned around for a few seconds, and Kate left all her money on the table, took the doll and ran. She knew the man would come after her, so she ducked into the house of mirrors. Strangely, she was the only one in the dark maze. She found a room made completely out of crooked mirrors, and decided to stay there a while. Untill she heard footsteps. She could only see dark and blurry reflections of herself. She clutched onto the doll with all her strength. But to her surprise, it wasn't the carnival worker. It was his son. He had a knife. He stared at Kate and smiled. He began to advance. As he came closer, Kate could of sworn she saw a red glow in the mirrors. As the boy stood over Kate, holding the knife so hard his hand was bleeding, a song played in the mirror house. It had a strange beat to it, but sounded strangely creepy. It got louder. Kate could make out the words "Can you feel the sunshine".

Or at least, that's what they found her saying. Over and over again. Even through the scars on her face, the words where clear. She looked at one of the policemen. "Does it brighten up your day?"

I had done it… I let loose a monster. I had to do something… Fast…

_You can't do anything Rouge… I'm leaving…_

"Where are you going?" I wish I never asked.

_To the radio station…_

It dissapeared. Why would it go to the radio station?

Oh god no. It was going to play the song. And the entire city would be listening.


	6. Whatever makes you happy

**Whatever makes you happy**

Rouge lay fast asleep on the couch in her apartment. It all seemed so unreal to her. A loud banging came from the door behind her. Rouge almost jumped out her skin. She bit her lip. She was scared to answer the door.

"Rouge! It's Shadow! Let me in!" Another loud knock.

Rouge hesitantly walked towards the door. She clutched the brass handle, hoping to god. She opened the door. It WAS shadow. A very bloody Shadow. Rouge was slightly taken aback, but came to her senses fast. Shadow was almost crying.

"I was so close. He was right in front of me. I've been chasing him god knows how long… I had the gun to his head… All I had to do was pull the trigger."

Rouge opened her mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. She let Shadow continue.

"I was too weak Rouge. I- I was weak…" Shadow clenched his fist. Rouge finally spoke up.

"I've almost killed it a hundred times. Each time I was weak. Each time I was scared…"

"I couldn't give it up… All that power… It knew my name… It knew my past. It spoke to me. Said… It wouldn't hurt me."

"You're a fool… But, I guess… I am too…" Rouge laughed and hugged shadow. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

Shadow looked relaxed, even though two heavily armed guards had just "escorted" him right into a GUN base. Shadow slowly approached the old general, who, despite his size, still seemed nervous in front of Shadow. Shadow laughed coldly. The general lifted his head and spoke.

"Shadow, with everything I have on you, I could have you executed in an instant. No questions asked." The general lent down so he was now level with Shadow. "And nobody would care… But I'm not going to do that. Do you know why, Shadow?"

Shadow was beginning to feel slightly intimidated. "Because you need me."

"Well done, Shadow…" The general walked away from Shadow. "Are you familiar with the robot your creator found?"

Shadow jumped up. "E-Emrel?"

"Yes… When you father found 'Emrel', he found something else. Where you aware of that?"

"The… The professor mentioned something about a stone…"

"Haha… Yes… The stone… The professor decided it would be best to tell nobody of that rock. Except his grandson. You know Robotnik, right?"

"Y-yes…"

"He's dead." The general showed no sympathy for the late doctor.

"D-doctor Eggman! So… Sonic finally-"

"It wasn't Sonic… That rock… You met Metal Sonic. There was also a robotic version of the guardian of that emerald… There was also a doll made."

"A-a doll?"

"Well… A robot made to look like a doll… The robot is almost harmless, nothing to it at all... But… The doctor used the stone he stole from his grandfather to power it…The machine… The stone is… Well… Not right…"

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Not right?"

"That stone… Isn't just powering the robot… It's controlling it… Almost like… It has a mind. A will. Thoughts."

Shadow blinked, then smiled. "You expect me to believe that?"

"There are a lot of things that seem hard to believe Shadow. You saved the world from a giant robot. But-"

"There is no magic…"

"… E-excuse me?"

"Magic… I-It doesn't exist… There is science… The professor taught me that… Magic… It isn't real…"

"I don't care what you believe. Are you with us?"

"…Us?"

Rouge walked out a shadowy corner of the room. "Us."

"Y-your keeping it?" A much older Shadow screamed at Rouge, his hand shaking but keeping a firm grip on the gun. He was in Rouges shop now. "W-we've been following this thing for years… I-It's killed so many people! And you want to kill it?"

Rouge stood, guarding the doll chest. "He doesn't have to die! We can still keep that power! Think of what we can do if we can control him! Think of-"

Shadow's eyes widened. "…He? Y-you've been talking to him… Haven't you?"

"Shadow… It… Fine… We don't have to control it. But you know as well as me we can't kill it. We should just keep it here… Safe…"

"It's safe at GUN, locked up in a room somewhere! Not in a box!"

"It's too weak to get out Shadow!"

"… You're just making excuses… You don't want it gone anymore. You-you…"

Some boxes behind shadow where knocked over, and a large wind blew through the shop, even though the door was firmly shut. Shadow felt something behind him, although there was nothing there. There was, however, a dim red glow in the mirror to his left. There was the faintest whisper in the back of Shadows mind.

_She betrayed you._

Shadow spun around quickly, he was hysterical.

_Everything you've been through._

Shadow gasped for breath.

_She doesn't care about you. Nobody does. This is proof. You're a fool to think otherwise._

Shadow summoned up the courage to talk back to Rouge. "You going to keep him, huh?" Shadow raised the gun.

_Can you feel the sunshine?_

"W-well Rouge…" Shadow pointed the gun to his head. "… You finally got the best jewel in the world. I hope it makes you happy!"

_Does it brighten up your day?_

Shadow looked over the city, enjoying the view from the balcony. Rouge happily strutted up to him. "Heya Shadow."

Shadow was silent a moment. "R- Rouge… Do you think we can beat it?"

"'Course we can…" Rouge stretched. "Even if it kills us!"

Next chapter will probably be t3h last one. I feel the sunshine.


End file.
